This week is all about anytime appetizers. I chose to put these recipes under this category for two reasons; they are delicious recipes that you can whip up for any occasion, even just as a snack to keep around the house for a couple of days (if it lasts that long 😉 ). Second, they are made with ingredients that most of us have in our pantry or as staples in our fridge making it easy to make them at any time. I hope you get a chance to try them both!

 

 

Sweet Caramelized Onion Baguette Sliders with Bacon

 

Chase’s take: When I told him that I would be making this recipe; “Oh YEAH!!”

The first recipe that I am excited to share with you is my sweet caramelized onion sliders with bacon. Of course, I understand that when onions are the star of the recipe, a lot of people turn the other way and reach for something else, but PLEASE give this recipe a chance and try it at least once! If you haven’t tried something similar to this before, I promise that you will be surprised at the sweet flavor the onions develop after they are allowed to caramelize. This is one of Chase’s favorite snacks and he requests it all the time.

I used sweet yellow onions just to enhance the sweet flavor that I knew would result from this particular preparation. I did find these onions in the ‘local’ section of the produce department but you can definitely use any type of onion you may have laying around the kitchen; yellow, white, or red.

I did discover that not all bacon is made equally either. Yes, all bacon shares the same undeniable delicious flavor but a real treat is purchasing your bacon from your store’s deli. This is where you are going to find the freshest, thick cut bacon and it is usually at least a dollar or two cheaper than the pre-packaged stuff (per pound).

Of course, if you already have bacon at home, the results are going to be equally great! I just wanted to share a little tidbit of what I have discovered to be the best selection.

Not only are these sliders absolutely delicious, but they are an awesome appetizer for entertaining. They are easy to pick up with your hands, easy to eat without falling apart, and they are simple to assemble and create an awesome presentation without a lot of effort. I hope you give these a chance and enjoy!

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 Sweet Yellow Onions

1 French bread baguette

4 slices of thick-cut bacon

Parmesan cheese

½ tsp garlic powder

1-2 T Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter

 

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the bacon on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for about 30 minutes, or until crispy (I used thick-cut bacon from the deli so this needed a little longer to cook).

Then, peel the onions and slice them in half. Slice each half into about ¼ inch slices (they should look like a half-moons).

Place the sliced onions into a large heated skillet with about a tablespoon of olive oil drizzled in the bottom of the skillet. Cook the onions on low-medium heat and drizzle another small amount of olive oil over the top (about a tablespoon or so). You want the onions to cook slowly so that they will soften and the sugars will caramelize and turn them a light-brown color.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the onions along with the garlic powder. Cover the onions and let them slowly cook, stirring occasionally and cook for about 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the fresh baguette at a bias into ¼ inch slices. Butter both sides of each slice and toast both sides in a heated skillet until golden brown.

All you have left to do is assemble the sliders! You’ll know when the onions are done since they will be light brown in color, soften, and develop a sweet flavor. Believe me; the harsh onion flavor is cooked right out of them!

To assemble: Place a small amount of the caramelized onions on a toasted slice of the baguette, then top with a few pieces of crumbled bacon and shave a couple curls of parmesan cheese on top.

They are ready to serve!
——–

 

Roasted Garlic Bacon Cream Cheese Spread

 

Chase’s take: “I wish I had more of this stuff!”

The second recipe that I wanted to slip into this post is my Roasted Garlic Cream Cheese Spread with Bacon. Let me warn you; this spread is so addicting! Not only can you use it as a great spread for an appetizer to go on crackers or the same type of baguette as my previous recipe calls for but you can also store this spread for a few days in your fridge and enjoy it on a toasted bagel.

I wanted to create something that had depth of flavor but isn’t a pain to make and only calls for a few ingredients. Usually we all know that when bacon is included in a recipe, it becomes the star of the show but with this recipe I would argue that the roasted garlic steals it! Roasting garlic is one of the easiest ways to prepare it and in my opinion, the most delicious.

Just like the onions that were used in the above recipe, the bitter, harsh flavor of the garlic disappears after roasting and is replaced with a sweet, deep flavor.

I decided to leave the garlic cloves whole after roasting instead of mashing them up before adding them to the cream cheese to add texture to the spread and to match the consistency of the bacon.

I wanted to share these recipes to prove that with the right preparation, simple ingredients like onion and garlic can make a dish something special. I really hope that you get a chance to try these soon and I can’t wait to hear from you!

Thank you for all of your support and I hope you enjoy every bite!

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 bulb Garlic

3 slices of thick-cut bacon

16 oz softened cream cheese (room temp)

Peppered crackers

1-2 tsp Olive oil

 

Start by pre-heating the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the garlic to roast by slicing off the top of the bulb. Place it in a square of tin foil big enough to wrap the entire bulb and drizzle 1-2 tsp of olive oil over the exposed top. Sprinkle a dash of salt (>1/8 tsp) on the garlic. Wrap the whole bulb of garlic in tin foil.  On a separate tray, place the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet and place the garlic and the bacon in the oven.

If using thick-cut bacon, bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until crispy. Roast the garlic for 45 minutes at the same temperature.

After baking, allow the bacon and the garlic to cool completely. When cooled, tear or chop the bacon into small pieces but leave the garlic cloves whole. Add the cream cheese, bacon, and garlic into a mixer.

**You can easily remove the roasted garlic by squeezing the base of the bulb. This will push out the softened, roasted garlic cloves with ease!

Add the cream cheese, cooled bacon, and roasted garlic into the mixer. Mix the ingredients until combined and the cream cheese is slightly whipped. (I used the paddle attachment with the scraper)

Chill the spread for at least an hour

Spread on your favorite crackers or a baguette (I recommend peppered crackers) and enjoy!